Poultry trussing device cartridge

Abstract

A rack or cartridge for storing multiple poultry trussing wires in nested relationship includes an elongated sheet with at least three longitudinally folds or bends to define four sheet sections. Two of the bends are disposed transversely equidistant from the central bend to define a recess adapted to receive the central portion of the trussing wire. In one embodiment the outer sections bend back generally toward one another to terminate in an elongated space adapted to receive central sections of the trussing wires. In another embodiment the outer sections are bent away from one another to define an M-contoured rack cross-section, there being plural such racks spaced transversely from one another on an integral member. The wires may be automatically fed into the cartridge and individually removed therefrom. The outer bends in both embodiments support the trussing wire segments which extend above the recess.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A cartridge for storing, in nested relationship, a plurality of poultry trussing wires of the type which comprise a length of resilient wire bent in plural longitudinal locations to define a generally V-shaped central segment of predetermined width with a pair of symmetrically disposed co-planar leg segments on opposite sides thereof, said central segment residing in a first plane which intersects at a first predetermined angle, a second plane defined by said leg segments, said cartridge comprising: an elongated member bent along first, second, and third parallel longitudinally-extending linear bends to define a first support rack having first, second, third and fourth rack sections, said first bend having a second predetermined angle and being disposed substantially centered with respect to said second and third bends between said first and second sections, said second bends being disposed between said first and third sections and having a third predetermined angle, said third bend being disposed between said second and fourth sections and having said third predetermined angle, wherein said first and second sections define a recess between said second and third bends, said recess being sufficiently large to receive the V-shaped central segment of multiple nested trussing wires positioned such that opposite leg segments of the trussing wires rest on said second and third bends, respectively. 
     
     
       2. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member includes a plurality of transversely-spaced racks substantially identical to said first rack. 
     
     
       3. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third and fourth rack sections define a generally M-configured transverse cross-section in which the first and second sections are inner legs and the third and fourth sections are outer legs of the M-configuration. 
     
     
       4. The cartridge according to claim 3 wherein said elongated member includes a plurality of transversely-spaced racks substantially identical to said first rack, wherein each rack includes fourth and fifth longitudinally-extending bends in said elongated member, said fourth and fifth bends being disposed parallel to said first, second, and third bends, and wherein said cartridge further comprises a spacer section disposed between each pair of transversely adjacent racks, each spacer section being terminated along one side by the fourth bend of one of said pair of transversely adjacent racks and along another side by the fifth bend of the other of said pair of transversely adjacent racks. 
     
     
       5. The cartridge according to claim 4 wherein said second predetermined angle of said first bend is sufficantly large relative to the predetermined width of said V-shaped segment of the trussing wire to permit the entire V-shaped segment to be received in said recess by said first and second rack sections. 
     
     
       6. The cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said first, fourth, and fifth bends are approximately 90° each, and wherein said second and third bends are such as to define angles of approximately 45° between said first and fourth rack sections. 
     
     
       7. The cartridge according to claim 3 wherein said second predetermined angle is approximately 90°, and wherein said third predetermined angle is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       8. The cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising tab means formed intergrally with said elongated member and extending out of plane from one of said rack sections for limiting siding motion of said trussing wires along said rack. 
     
     
       9. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member has first and second longitudinally-extending edges transversely terminating said third and fourth sections, respectively, said edges being spaced from one another by a transverse distance approximately equal to said predetermined width of said V-shaped central segment of said trussing wire, and wherein said first, second, third and fourth sections define and interior region open only at the space between said edges and that the ends of said elongated member. 
     
     
       10. The cartridge according to claim 9 wherein said central V-shaped segment of said trussing wires have a maximum width which is slightly greater between the transverse distance between said first and second longitudinally-extending edges. 
     
     
       11. The cartridge according to claim 10 wherein said second predetermined angle is approximately 110°, and wherein said third predetermined angle is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       12. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said third and fourth sections of said elongated member reside in mutually intersecting planes. 
     
     
       13. The cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a pair of slits extending longitudinally inward from opposite ends of said member along said first bend. 
     
     
       14. The cartridge according to claim 13 further comprising means secured at said slits for securing said trussing wires to said cartridge, said means comprising a flexible cord-like member extending through said slits and binding the central V-shaped segments of said trussing wires against said first bend in said interior region. 
     
     
       15. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third and fourth sections are a part of an intergal part of cardboard. 
     
     
       16. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third and fourth sections are part of an intergral sheet of metal. 
     
     
       17. The cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said first, second, third and fourth sections are part of an integral sheet of plastic material. 
     
     
       18. A rack for shipping, storing and dispensing multiple poultry trussing wires, comprising: an elongated member having first and second base walls each have first and second longitudinally-extending edges, said base walls intersecting one another along their first edges and forming and angle A therebetween of approximately 110°, and a pair of front walls each having proximal and distal longitudinally-extending edges, the proximal edges of said pair of front walls being joined to and co-extensive with the second edges of said first and second base walls, respectively, at an angle B such that the distal edges are spaced from and generally face toward one another wherein angle B is greater and angle C formed between each base wall and an plane defined by the second edges of said base walls. 
     
     
       19. The rack according to claim 18 wherein said angle B is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       20. The rack according to claim 18 wherein the spacing between the distal edges of said front walls is smaller than the width of the base walls between said first and second edges. 
     
     
       21. A rack for shipping, storing and dispensing multiple poultry trussing wires, comprising: an elongated member having first and second base walls each having first and second longitudinally-extending edges, said base walls intersecting one another along first edges and forming an angle A there between and first and second outer walls each having proximal and distal longitudinally-extending edges, the proximal edges of said first and second outer walls being joined to and co-extensive with the second edges of said first and second base walls, respectively, at an angle B such that the first and second base walls and the first and second outer walls have a transverse cross-section with a generally M-shaped configuration, wherein angle B is less than angle A. 
     
     
       22. The rack according to claim 21 where angle A is approximately 90° and angle B is approximately 45°. 
     
     
       23. The rack according to claim 21 wherein said elongated member further comprises: a first spacer section joined to the distal edge of said second outer wall and extending generally perpendicular to said second outer wall, third and fourth base walls, each having first and second longitudinally-extending edges, said base walls intersecting one another along their first edges and forming an angle A therebetween, and third and fourth outer walls each having proximal and distal longitudinally-extending edges of said third and fourth walls being joined to and co-extensive with the second edges of said third and fourth base walls, respectively, at angle B such that the third and fourth base walls and the third and fourth outer walls have a transverse cross-section with a generally M-shaped configuration, wherein said distal edge of said third outer wall is parallel and spaced from the distal end of said second outer wall and is joined to said spacer section. 
     
     
       24. The rack according to claim 21 wherein said elongated member further comprises: a second spacer section joined to the distal edge of said fourth outer wall and extending generally perpendicular to said fourth outer wall, fifth and sixth base walls, each having first and second longitudinally-extending edges, said fifth and sixth base walls intersecting one another along their first edges and forming an angle A therebetween, and fifth and sixth outer walls each having proximal and distal longitudinally-extending edges, the proximal edges of said fifth and sixth outer walls being joined to and co-extensive with the second edges of said fifth and sixth base walls, respectively, at an angle D such that the fifth and sixth base walls and the fifth and sixth outer walls have a transverse cross-section with a generally M-shaped configuration, wherein said distal edge of said fifth outer wall is parallel to and spaced from the distal edge of said fourth outer wall and is joined to said second spacer section.